The Great Escape
by fromUNDERtheCOURTtree
Summary: When Phoebe Grey takes off on a road trip to NYC with her best friend Al Rodriquez after ditching her security detail, she has no idea of the trials and tribulations that has in store. Love, friendship, car chases, and dealing with her father's security teams and old enemies all wrapped into one life-changing adventure.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I hope you enjoy! I know it's a little slow at first, but once the adventure starts it's going to be awesome :) Just as a little reference in my head I picture Phoebe as Mandy Moore with really dark hair and Alejandro as Enrique Iglesias.**

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"You know the rules, Phoebe. No long distance traveling without Mason." My father practically hisses at me, his grey eyes blazing with anger, warning me to quit my attempts at defying him.

"Dad, I'm eighteen years old, I'm not a child anymore! I don't have to follow your stupid rules!" I shout back, my blood boiling in anger in the heat of the moment. I am an adult, dammit, and I don't need Daddy's bodyguards to protect me. I resist the urge to stomp my foot because I know it certainly won't help my case.

"My rules aren't stupid. They're for your protection." He replies, his voice almost pleading. He runs his fingers through his copper hair, the hair my brother Teddy inherited. I know when he does this is means he is seriously stressed. I just don't understand him- if he let me go where I wanted to go and do what I wanted to do, we would all be happy and we could all go on our merry way. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself.

"I don't need protection, you are absolutely ridiculous!" I reply, and I know I'm very close to crossing the line. I hate seeing my dad angry, and what pisses him off more than me defying him is when I'm disrespectful. I should know better, I know I should, but right now I'm far too angry to hold my tongue.

"Phoebe Alexandra, the answer is no. If you want to go to New York so badly, Mason will have to go with you."

"Dad, come on. I want to do something on my own. Just once! I'll bring Al with me!" I beg, batting my long lashes and making the saddest puppy-dog face I can muster.  
My father practically growls with annoyance at the mention of my best friend, Alejandro Rodriquez. He hates the idea of me spending any amount of time with the opposite sex. It's the same thing with my mother; he gets visibly tense whenever Al's dad, Jose is around.

"Saying that that boy is coming is not helping your case, Phoebe. He looks at you like you're a piece of meat."

"That's not true!" I resist the urge to stamp my foot once more.

"The answer is, and will be no. That is _final."_ He says the last word with such force and finality that I realize I've lost this argument once again. Angry tears spill out of my grey eyes, as I turn and stalk out of my dad's office and up the brass staircase to my room, where I slam the door out of habit.

Annoyed, I wipe the tears away with the back of my hand, smearing my eyeliner as I do so. I'm not crying because I didn't get my own way, I'm not that much of a spoiled brat, despite what some people might think. The tears come from anger. It's a reaction that I can't control, first comes anger, and then come the tears. It's extremely frustrating. I despise looking weak. Taking a deep breath, I try to calm myself down. Deep down I knew he would never let me go without Mason, the man who has been my bodyguard for as long as I can remember. This is probably the fifth time we've had this fight, ever since my eighteenth birthday last week. It's really simple; I've always wanted to go to New York City and see Broadway and Times Square. My parent's own property there, so naturally I've had many opportunities to go. But I made a promise to myself that when I go to the city, I want to go alone; free from security and bodyguards and especially my parents. Sort of a symbolic coming-of-age adventure all to myself, and my best friend Al of course.

There's a soft knock on the door, and I know it's my mother. Hastily I wipe at my eyes trying to remove the eyeliner remnants. But it's no use, my mom will know I've been crying, she always does. She knows me better than anyone. Dressed in a blue fluffy bathrobe and slippers, she saunters into my room and sits delicately on the foot of my bed. We have the same hair; long, dark, and silky. Mine has more of a curl than hers does though, inherited from himself.

"Phoebe." She says gently, comforting.

"Mom, he just doesn't listen to me. I'm eighteen now. I'm an adult. Going on a road trip is not that big of a deal."

"I agree. But you know how he is. He only wants to protect you."

"I don't get how you can be married to him." I regret it immediately after I say it. But I just can't help it; I say what I feel without thinking of the consequences. Which of course gets me in trouble frequently. Surprisingly, my mother laughs at my comment.

"It's difficult, believe me. But he loves you. You're his baby girl. I think he's just having trouble dealing with it all. You graduating and turning eighteen and starting college in the fall."

Suddenly, I no longer want to be in my mother's presence; she's only going to make me feel bad. I shrug her off and thank her, and tell her that she's right. She gives me a gentle kiss on the forehead, and with that, we say goodnight. The second she's out of the room, I dash over to where my cell phone is plugged into it's charger. A rush of adrenaline courses through my veins as the reality of what I'm going to do kicks in. I can't take it any longer, I'm going to New York City whether or not Mr. Overprotective approves. I quickly dial Al's number.

"Hey Bee." He greets me, and I know he's smiling.

"Alejandro Louis Rodriquez." I reply with a giggle.

"Sup chica?" He asks in an over-the-top fake Spanish accent. I laugh again.

"We're leaving for New York. Tonight."

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**And so it begins! Feel free to Review! Thanks! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

"Tonight? Bee do you think that's such a good idea?" Al's voice is hesitant and it instantly annoys me.

"Come on Al, I need to get out of here. It's now or never. I'm ready to live." I say, trying to sound as convincing as possible. Eighteen years of being sheltered and eighteen years of my father's rules have brought me to this. I've never been outside of Washington on my own.

"What about money? Won't Mason notice you're gone?" I roll my eyes at him. I know how to sneak away from Mason, at least for a little while. Usually Al is always up for an adventure, but he thinks going on this trip with me without 's permission is a death wish. Which it is, but I don't let Daddy kill him.

"I've got it covered. Just be in the guest lot in half an hour. Taylor is asleep, but keep your lights off anyway because Mason is awake. I'll climb down my balcony. Laters." And without waiting for a reply, I end the call. Al is reliable and he always listens to me. He'll be more relaxed once we're on the road.

Trying to keep my head straight yet rushing to get things ready, I grab a Coach suitcase from my walk in closet. I have so many clothes to choose from that I'm overwhelmed. I throw things haphazardly; camisoles, a few nice shirts, jeans, shorts, bras, panties, silk pajamas. I don't have time to be too particular so I hope for the best. The one thing I make sure I have is my red strapless dress and black Jimmy Choo sandals, in case we go clubbing or decide to have a fancy dinner along the way. Next I remove an empty floorboard from under my bed, where I've been hiding emergency cash (My dad is notorious for tracking my bank account). Every day for the past two months I've withdrawn one hundred dollars cash and put it away, just in case I had to sneak away like this. I secretly thank myself for planning ahead. I think six thousand dollars will be enough so that we won't have to stop at any banks along the way.

Next I saunter over to my full-length mirror to double-check my appearance. Besides the make up-smudges, I look pretty okay. Big grey eyes bright, pale skin clear and, long dark curls silky and frizz-free. Besides the hair, I've been told I look a lot like my dad. I shake my head; I don't want to think about him right now. He's so irrational and controlling and it pisses me off like nothing else. After washing my face in my adjoined bathroom, I re-apply dark eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss. Then I throw my make-up bag, my phone, the money, and some other necessities into a tote bag. Right on cue I hear Al's fake birdcall from outside my window. This trick worked all through high school; Al would pull into our guest lot towards the back of the house, call for me (which wouldn't alert security since it sounds like a bird) and I would climb down my balcony and meet him. It got a lot easier around junior year when Al got his license and a car.

I take one last glance at my bedroom, all purple walls, dark wood floor, and white Victorian furniture. Thinking of my mother, I run over to my desk and scribble a not in loopy handwriting that simply says "Don't worry, I need to do this on my own. Love Phoebe." Mentally I register where everyone is in the house; Mom is probably in the library, reading. Mr. Overprotective is in his office barking orders at the people that work for him. Taylor and Gail are in their suite with their daughters. Mason is up in his office doing some sort of work. My parents probably won't notice I'm gone for at least an hour an a half, which gives me and Al time to set we'll toss my cell phone somewhere and then travel in the opposite direction. Shit, my dad is going to be so mad. I smirk at the thought. Don't get me wrong, I love my Dad to death. He and my Mom have been great parents and they've given me everything I've ever wanted. It's just I need to prove to him that I'm capable of doing something on my own. I switch out the light and climb out onto my balcony overlooking the Sound. It's absolutely gorgeous out, somewhat chilly for a July night. I have the Sound to thank for the light breeze that flutters through my hair.

I toss down my bag and suitcase, then carefully and as quietly as possible I climb down the terrace attached to my balcony, careful to avoid the roses; they have thorns. I learned that the hard way. Butterflies fill my tummy as I run over to Al's car. We're really doing it! We're going to New York! I walk over to the trunk of his midnight blue 2012 Camry and knock on it. He pops it for me and I lug my suitcase into it, noticing that he's back himself a duffel bag as well. I can't help my smile ear to ear as I slide in to the passengers seat next to him.

"Bee." He greets me with a perfect, white smile. Al is hot, I have to admit. Tan skin, dark medium length hair that's messy in a cute way, and big dark green eyes. Don't forget the muscles. Girls are always all over him, which bugs me because I only want him to have the best. He doesn't normally go after many girls though. But the best part about him is that he's such a sweetheart. And he's reliable, and protective without being overbearing, like a big brother.

"Al." I whisper. I know that nobody can hear us, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

"Why are we whispering?" he teases, his green eyes twinkling with excitement.

"Just a precaution, Let's get out of here!" He listens to me, putting the car into reverse and carefully turning around in the guest lot. Within minutes we're driving down the main driveway, with the lights off still. I think those are the longest five minutes of my life. When we're finally on the road, with both relax, and I realize I had been holding my breath the entire time.

"Where to ?" he asks, playfully mocking Mason's formality. I pull the map out of my tote bag that I have marked off in pink highlighter.

"First, let's stop in Portland and toss my phone. They'll think we're traveling south when my Dad tracks it. Then we get back on I-5 and take 1-90 East all the way to New York. Stopping occasionally for gas and food and sleep of course."

"Are you sure we should take such an obvious route?" He asks, raising his eyebrow at me. What is with him? He usually doesn't question me.

"Yes. It's reverse psychology. Since the way we're taking is so obvious, my Dad will assume I wouldn't go this way. He'll definitely think I took the backroads. Just trust me."  
I check the clock. It's nine thirty, and I estimate my dad won't realize I'm gone until at least ten thirty. At the speed we're going we'll be in Portland in at least an hour. The car ride passes with some joking, small talk, and listening to great music of course. Right as we pull into a convenience store in Portland, my phone rings. It's my dad. _Shitshitshitshitshit.  
_My panic is evident on my face apparently, because Al asks me what's wrong.

"My Dad is calling. Shit." I get out of the car, and run over to the nearest trashcan. I switch it off and toss it in, adrenaline pumping through my veins. When I'm back in the car, I take a look around the parking lot. No sign of Taylors SUV or Mason's black Audi. I sigh and relax. Either he hasn't tracked me yet or his security just isn't here yet.

"We have to get out of here." I snap at Al as he backs out, and before we know it we're back on 1-5, back on our merry way. I take deep breaths. "I thought he had caught us already." I say with a relieved laugh.

"Miss Grey, I believe a celebration is in order." He says, with an eyebrow raised.

"And what is that occasion?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"We just made the great escape."

I process his words. We really did escape, and we're on our way to New York

City. Everything has run surprisingly smoothly, a lot more smooth than I thought it would. Suddenly my stomach grumbles and I realize I didn't eat dinner because I had been too busy arguing. "I'm starving." I murmur, looking out the window.

"I've got you covered chica, look in the glove compartment."

I do as I'm told, and there sitting in the compartment between us is a feast; Nutrigrain bars, trail mix, bags of dried fruit, and way at the bottom, my absolute favorite; Swedish Fish.

"Aw, Al. You're so thoughtful." I say, ignoring all the healthy choices and ripping open the bag of Swedish Fish. I plop one into my mouth and savor it. I don't normally eat candy; we keep mostly healthy foods stocked in the house, which does benefit my active lifestyle. Pilates and kickboxing four days a week require a nutritious diet.

"Only for you, Bee." This makes me smile. I can always count on my best friend.

The next hour goes by quicker than expected; not many people are on the road surprisingly, and Al is driving at a nice clip. I gather my tote bag up and make a makeshift pillow, and slowly I feel myself begin to drift off to sleep. I dream of giant Swedish Fish swimming through Times Square and angry grey eyes and being chased by Taylor's SUV. I wake to Al gently shaking me and saying my name repeatedly.

"Phoebe, Phoebe, wake up!" I jolt up, fully awake. I can immediately tell something is wrong by the tone of his voice. Plus, he's calling me Phoebe, not Bee. He's called me Bee forever.

"What is it?" I ask, feeling panic rise in my stomach.

"I think we're being followed. What does Mason drive?"

"A black Audi."

"Shit!" he steps on the gas, weaving in and out of the traffic which now surrounds us. I look at the digital clock and find that it's two thirty am. I've been asleep for four hours?

I look over my shoulder, the Audi is getting farther and farther behind us as we weave through traffic. I had never mentioned it to my dad, but Mason is not the best aggressive driver. I'm silently thankful for this as we continue to drive.

"Get off at this next exit!" I say, urgent to get off the highway and out of my bodyguards vicinity. I actually feel bad for Mason, he's probably a nervous wreck. Al gets off at the exit I've dictated, and notice a big blue and white sign that says "Welcome to Idaho" as we continue to drive over the speed limit, putting more distance between us and Mason. I feel the adrenaline once more and I realize I've never felt this alive. I roll down my window and the wind whips my hair across my face. Mason is nowhere in sight, and we're safe and sound in a town called Post Falls. I look over to see Al grinning at me, but he's visibly exhausted.

"Why don't we stop and get a room somewhere?" I suggest, and he looks relieved. We drive up the road for a while and find a Sleep Inn. It's certainly not the five star hotels that I'm used to, but now is not a time to be snobby. I help Al unload our bags from the trunk. We've parked in back just in case, so it's a longer walk to the main lobby. Suddenly, I freeze.

"Al."

"Hmm?"

"We're going to have to give I.D.

"I'm waaaay ahead of you. You know how people always say I look like my cousin Hernesto? He let me borrow his I.D. And, he's twenty one." He says with a wink. Honestly getting drunk is the farthest thing from my mind right now.

"Al, I could just kiss you." The words come out of my mouth before I think of the consequences. His ears turn so red they look almost purple.

"Uh." Is all he manages to get out before we're greeted by an overly-perky blonde who eyes us suspiciously. Well, two young adults show up to a hotel at three A.M and they're bound to cause suspicion.

"We'd like a room with two twin beds please." He sputters at her, fumbling in his wallet and producing an I.D. I hand him a two hundred dollars cash from my pocket. The girl gives us a fake, overly whitened smile and hands us a room key, letting us know that our room is on the fifth floor. Suddenly, I'm exhausted and my suitcase weighs a ton as we ride the elevator up five flights.

We enter the room, and it's cute and cozy. Yellow walls, a mini bar, two twin beds with crisp white sheets, and a bathroom. I claim the bathroom and unload my bag of toiletries. Within ten minutes my hair has been brushed and put into a messy bun, my make-up is removed, and I'm wearing a grey camisole and black silk pajama shorts. Suddenly I feel shy as I exit the bathroom and enter the main bedroom. I can't help but giggle at what I find; Al, slumped diagonal across one of the beds, still in full clothes, fast asleep and snoring. Trying my best not to disturb him, I crawl into the other bed and curl up in a ball. And I drift off to sleep, 400 miles away from home in a random hotel room with my best friend.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Thanks so much for reading/ following/ reviewing! It means the world to me. There's a lot going on in this chapter, so I hope you enjoy :) Also I'm going to Maine for a couple days so I won't be able to update for a little while but I'm going to keep writing so there should be a new chapter or two soon!**

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The next morning I wake up to bright sunlight spilling in from the window we had been too lazy to close the blinds to the night before. I yawn and stretch; pleased with the quality of sleep I've had, given the current circumstances. The clock on my bedside table tells me that it's nine o'clock. As quietly as possible I sneak out of my bed and start to tiptoe towards the bathroom. I freeze when the hotel phone rings. My stomach drops. Could this be it? I should just ignore it, but my curiosity gets the better of me.

"Hello?" I say quietly, innocently.

"Phoebe!" Shit! It's Mason. I can hear the exasperation in his voice, but also relief.

I say nothing, and start to hang up the phone. "Please, Miss. Grey, don't hang up!" he pleads.

"I'm sorry." I say, and I'm about to slam down the receiver when I hear the words;  
"I want to help you." What? Mason wants to help me?

"You want to help me?" I ask, dumbfounded.

"Yes, Miss. Grey. What you're doing takes a great deal of courage. Now don't get me wrong, your father is a great man, a great man indeed. He only does what he does to protect you. However I do see where you're coming from." I listen to Mason's words in his light British accent, and I am astounded. None of my father's employees ever say anything against my him My stomach drops when the reality hits me… my dad fired him when Al and I got away.

"Thank you Mason. Did my Dad fire you?" I blurt out. I can't believe it but the thought of not having Mason around makes my eyes water.

He takes a few seconds to reply. "Yes, my dear. He did. But we all know I was getting too old for the job anyway." I angrily wipe the tears away that are falling down my cheeks. These are tears of sadness, not tears of anger. I've always considered Mason a part of my family. I didn't ever picture him not being around. I guess he is getting a little old, and I didn't realize it. We had celebrated his sixtieth birthday last month.

"Mason, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." A thousand things flash through my mind at once. Is this worth Mason getting fired? I should turn back home; explain to my dad that it's entirely my fault and to let Mason come back. I'll take whatever punishment Dad comes up with. I can't believe that less than twelve hours ago I was running away from him but now the thought of never seeing Mason again makes me feel awful.

"Don't be sorry, Miss. Grey. We'll still be in touch. Now, we don't have much time. Taylor and my replacement are both on their way there right now. They tracked Alejandro's car. You need to leave it there. Take a cab to a different town and pick up a used car from a dealer. Lay low for a few days and let Taylor get ahead of you on the highway. That way he won't be following you, you'll probably be following him. I'm moving down to Florida with my gal, since we're now retiring age. I'll mail you a postcard." He sounds so happy to be retiring with his wife that it relieves some of my guilt. But the guilt is replaced by panic; I need to wake all up and we need to get our shit together so we can leave.

"Thank you so much Mason. I'll miss you." I whisper.

"I'll miss you too Miss. Grey. Best of luck." He hangs up, and my head is spinning. My ex-body guard has just given me directions to escape my dad's current body-guard and my ex-body guard's replacement. Whoa. And I don't even know what New Guy drives, which makes me uneasy. I shake my head to clear all thoughts of Mason; I need to focus on getting out of here.

I shake Al's shoulder. "Wake up, Alejaaaaaandro" I sing in a light, playful singsong voice. He murmurs something about not wanting to go to school. I giggle, and shake him again. He still won't budge. Suddenly I'm annoyed and impatient and no longer in the mood to play around. "AL, WAKE UP!" I yell in his ear. He jolts awake startled and falls off his bed.

"Jeez, Bee. That was some wake-up call."

"Get up, we don't have much time. Mason just called."

A look of panic flashes on his face. I explain to him everything Mason told me.

"I have to leave my car?" He whines.

"We can come back for it later."

"But what if it gets towed? Or impounded?"

"I'll buy you a new one."

He looks annoyed at my response.

"Come on, Al. It's the only way. They're tracking your car."

"They put a tracking device in my car?" He asks, exasperated. His hair is much messier than usual from sleeping on it. It's actually adorable.

"I guess. It's because I spend a lot of time with you. And because you have a penis."

We both laugh, but deep down we both know it's true. My stomach grumbles again. I saunter over to Al's duffel bag and pull out a bag of dried apricots. I nibble on one and wonder if I have enough time to shower. Mentally, I think about how it took us about six hours to get here from Portland. I'm not sure when Taylor and New Guy left, but Mason makes it sound like it was recent. This works to our advantage.

"Let's both shower quick and then get the hell out of here." I say, and I switch on the TV as I snack on the dried apricots and flip through the channels. Al goes into the bathroom to shower. Nothing on the TV catches my eye until I see my face. What?! My face? On a national news station. The headline "Billionaire's Daughter Goes Missing" flashes across the screen along with a headshot Al's dad took for me for my senior yearbook photo. Big white letters under my picture read "If you have any information please call 1-800-FINDBEE" Shit. Nonononono. Now everyone in the country will be looking for me, hoping to get a reward. I shutter. Doesn't this give creepy old men motivation to kidnap me? For a smart man, my dad can sometimes surprise me with his stupidity. Or maybe he's just that desperate to find me. Which doesn't make much since, seeing as he's sending Taylor here to get me and he's not coming to get me himself. Maybe he's too angry to drive. I shake these thoughts from my head and switch to another news station. Yet again, my face flashes across the screen. This time there's my description underneath the picture; dark brown hair, grey eyes, five foot five, 115 pounds, athletic. Shit! Right when I think I'm about to start freaking out about the ad, Al comes out of the bathroom in a new set of clothes, towel drying his hair so that when he removes the towel it sticks out in all directions. I cant help but laugh.

"Is that you on the news?" he gapes at the television screen.

"Sadly."

"You can't go out in public now." He says, and I can tell he's frustrated. "You have to cut all your hair off."

"I'm not cutting my hair off!" I practically screech. It's taken me years to grow my hair this long. No way in hell am I cutting it off.

"Bee, that's definitely something people will recognize you by. And your eyes, not everybody has grey eyes."

"So what do you expect me to do? Shave my head and gauge my eyes out? Not happening."  
"Do you have to be such a smart ass?" He smirks at me.

"Of course I do."

I think about what he's just said, and he does have a point. In the pictures on the news my hair is a notable feature in identifying me, I guess. And my eyes, he's right about those too. What am I supposed to do though? I'm not cutting my hair. I could wear it straight, but it'll still be the same color. That's it! I can dye it! But first we have to get out of here. I shower quickly and throw my hair up, not bothering to put any make-up on. Normally I don't leave my house unless I look good, but it's not like I'll be bombarded by an paparazzi's out here in East Bum, Idaho. Al calls the cab and twenty minutes later it's arrived. We pack up our things and load them into the trunk.

"Can I at least say bye to my car?" He pouts as we're about to get into the cab.

"Al, you're ridiculous." I laugh and then shrug, letting him know that it's his choice. I get into the cab behind the driver, who is young and blonde and reasonably attractive. He makes feeble attempts to flirt with me as Al walks to the back of the hotel to say farewell. A few minutes later, Al is practically jumps into the back of the cab, breathless, flustered, and obviously shaken up.

"What's wrong?" I ask, the familiar feeling of panic returning to my stomach.

"It's Taylor. I saw him. He's here. We have to leave, now. Step on it!"

"Where to?" the driver asks, obviously amused and not phased by Al's urgency.

"I don't fucking know, the next big town or city. Quickly!"

"Did he see you?" I ask.

"Yes. No. I don't know. Jeez, Bee. He looked so pissed."

"How do you not know if he saw you?" I demand.

"I don't know. I was scared. I panicked and made a run for it. Could you drive any faster?" He snaps at the cab driver as we're on the road again.

"Shit." It's all I can manage to say. I didn't realize this whole ordeal would be so stressful. I pull out the map from my tote bag and look for towns in Idaho.

"Can you take us to Sandpoint?" I ask the driver sweetly.

"That's an hour away. Expensive fare."

"Money isn't an issue." I snap. The driver raises his eyebrows at me. I immediately regret the innocent flirting I had done a bit earlier. Out of spite, I lace my fingers through Al's and watch the driver scowl in the rearview mirror. Al looks at me, surprised by the gesture. I roll my eyes in the driver's direction and a look of comprehensions spreads across Al's face. Then the look changes to something, almost pained, maybe disappointed? Whatever, I don't have time to analyze Al's feelings right now.

Suddenly Al smirks and it makes me wonder what he's up to.

"My fiancée and I would like you to drop us off at a car dealership."

I restrain myself from letting my mouth fall open in shock. I could have a lot of fun playing Piss-The-Cab-Driver-Off.

"Fiancée?" The driver scoffs. "I didn't see an engagement ring."

"That's because the diamond was so big I had to have it custom made." I say as Al and I lock eyes and mutually stifle giggles. The cab drivers face turns beat red.

"Are you guys even old enough to get married? What are you, twelve?" He says snottily.

"Actually, we're twenty-one." I lie. "And I'd like you to stop talking now." I say, menacingly, mimicking the tone my dad uses when he enforces that what he says is final. I flip the switch to send the partition up between the back seat and the front, and now Al and I are in our own little cubicle. Now, we both laugh freely, obnoxiously, letting the driver know we're laughing at his expense.

Al and I spend the rest of the ride filling in a book of Mad Libs I grabbed with inappropriate nouns, verbs, and body parts. It's a great way to pass the time and before we know it, we're pulling into Reynold's Auto Sales, a tiny car lot with a grey building. I pay the taxi driver and get the luggage out of the trunk myself, eager to get away from him. There's also no sign of Taylor, which is great. To think we've narrowly escaped once again. I really hope my dad doesn't fire Taylor. He wouldn't. Our families have gotten too close over the years. He lives with us for goodness sake.

Al and I walk into the main building, where a middle-aged man with greying brown hair greets us. He has a kind face and is very helpful. He shows us the lot and we pick out a black 2015 jeep. I hand over the cash and Al signs the papers using his cousins I.D. It's a very old model, used and somewhat beat up. It's not too flashy and very average. We won't stick out in a crowd. Just as we're about to leave, the salesman with the kind face stops me.

"Excuse me, Miss?" he says. I turn, and my stomach drops. Am I already being recognized?"

"Yes?" I say kindly.

"You look a lot like that girl that's been on the news. The Billionaire's daughter. What's her name…Felicia? Francine?"

I refuse to show any emotion. I stand stalk still, keeping my cool. I flash him a smile.

"I'm flattered." I say, with a friendly laugh. "But Phoebe is much prettier than me." I flash him another smile before waiting for any reaction from the salesman. I link my arm through Al's and practically pull him out to our new vehicle of choice.

"That was close." He lets out a sigh of relief.

"Tell me about it."

"How much money do we have left?

"Four thousand, eight hundred."

"That's a lot."

"It's not as much as it sounds. We haven't even gotten two states away from home yet."

"What do we do now?"

"Why don't we get another hotel room? We can get some real food, I'll dye my hair, and then we can rest up before we get back on the highway. We need to get a move on it."

"You're dying your hair?"

"It's better than cutting it."

He's silent for a moment. "I like the color it is now."

I don't know why, but this makes me blush. "Thanks. But I'd rather dye it than cut it off. It's only temporary."

"What color are you dying it?"

I think for a moment. "Blonde. They have more fun."

He laughs.

We program the Jeep's GPS to take us to Talus Rock Retreat. When we get there, I'm thoroughly shocked and impressed by it's beauty. It's an elegant, grey stone building built onto a hill with high steeples and big glass windows. It's rustic and elegant and weirdly romantic. Suddenly I feel a bit weird about staying here with Al. It just seems weirdly intimate. Whatever. We park in the back out of habit and grab our bags. I just can't get over how nice this place is. A woman with red hair greets us in the lobby. She's tall, plump, and in her thirties. She's wearing a maxi dress that's casual, yet fits in with the setting. The place has a total air of relaxation. She shows us to the Arbor Room, a suite for two on the main floor. I'm still in awe. I've been to some nice hotels over the years, but this is just so sensual. We thank her for her hospitality and open the door to our suite, and I'm literally breathless.

The walls are yellow, and the room is in an octagon shape. There's a huge king bed with a gold comforter and a ton of decorative pillows. There's also huge windows, a flat screen TV, and a bathroom with a giant Jacuzzi tub. But my favorite part is the French doors that lead out to a patio surrounded by trees and bushes and flowers. It reminds me of the meadow at home. Momentarily I have a pang of regret and homesickness, but I brush it aside. As soon as everything is settled, it hits me that there's only one bed. This makes me feel uncomfortable so I decide not to think about it. Al decides its not safe for me to leave, so I stay in the hotel room while he goes to get us lunch and to the store to buy me some hair dye. He was baffled when I told him I was trusting him with the task, but I just told him to get the most expensive one. He can't screw that up, right? Suddenly I'm nervous about dying my hair; I've never died it before. I hadn't even thought about dying it before today. I always liked it because it was the same color as my mother's.

An hour later Al is back, with turkey sandwiches, chips, and soda for our lunch. I'm grateful for the food, I haven't eaten a real meal in almost two days. When lunch is finished I go through the other bags Al brought back. From a CVS, there's hair dye, some more snacks, and two disposable cell phones.

"What are these for?" I ask, holding them up.

"In case we get separated. I put my number in your phone, and your number in mine. Just a precaution."

I roll my eyes. There's no way we're going to get separated. I look in the other plastic bag, and in it is a case of different colored contacts. The only problem is, they aren't normal colors. Red, white, lime green, and electric blue. Surely if I wear them someone will know they're fake.

"I'm going to be such a knockout. A red-eyed blonde." I joke, holding up the contacts.

"Hey, what do you expect? I got them from some Halloween store, and it's off-season."

"I'm only kidding. You did a great job. Thanks, Al." I smile at him, a smile of appreciation. "Here goes nothing." I add as I grab the hair dye and contacts and go off to the bathroom.

The hair dye smells awful and the bleach burns my eyes. I don't like the sensation, and I can only imagine what I'm going to look like. Suddenly I'm nervous that I'm going to look washed out, but I'm relieved when I re-read the box. Since my hair is so dark, my hair will only be lightened to a light golden-brown. Not completely blonde. I can work with that.

An hour later, I rinse the dye from my hair. Wow, it's light. I blow-dry it and look at myself in the mirror. Instantly I miss my dark, silky locks. The dye has left my hair feeling dry and not as silky. I add some of my hair product, which makes it looks shiny and softer. There we go, a little product to do the trick. Next I have to deal with these contacts. Momentarily I'm torn between the lime green and electric blue. I go with the blue. I plop them into my eyes and look at myself, shocked at what I see. The grey from my natural eyes has taken some of the electricity of the blue. They look almost normal. The girl before me does not look like myself. Well, I still have the same body, and face, but the color of my eyes and hair makes me look completely different. Nobody will recognize me now.

I step out of the bathroom, and realize that I am nervous about how Al is going to react. Why do I care what he thinks? I usually don't care that much. But right now I want his approval. He looks at me, stunned, and then smiles.

"Well, look at you!" He says, standing up from the recliner and sauntering over to me.

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah. I mean it's different. But you're gorgeous either way." He says, narrowing his eyes. His ears turn red again. What is with him?

"Thanks." I say, shyly. Suddenly I'm aware of how close we're standing.

"So…" I say, to break the awkward tension. He shakes his head, realizing the tension and takes a few steps back. He walks back over to where the plastic bags are on the bed, and from brown bag I didn't notice before.

"What's that?"

He pulls out a bottle of wine. It looks expensive.

"I thought we could celebrate our narrow escape." He says, and he looks so excited and puppy-dog adorable that I can't say no. I'm not a big fan of drinking; I never did it much in high school. First, it's illegal. And second, I like being in control of myself.

"Sounds great." I say, trying to keep him happy. He goes over to the little kitchenette part of the room and pours some of the wine into two glasses. We spend the next few hours drinking wine, playing cards, and just talking. This is why I love being friends with Al. I can sit and talk to him for hours and he doesn't judge me or get mad at me or tell me I'm wrong. I only have two glasses, but Al keeps pouring more and more for himself. I sip slowly, trying not to hurt his feelings. He starts to slur his words and blurt out random things. At one point I stop listening, and sit on the bed to watch TV. I'm in the middle of watching a movie on the Lifetime Channel when he stumbles over and sits on the foot of the bed.

"Youknow I've always been sojealousof Johnny." He slurs at me. He really is a bit of a lightweight. I roll my eyes at the mention of my now ex-boyfriend.

"Why?" I ask, monotone.

"Cuz, you're fucking awesome. I bet he'd be so mad if he knew we were here together. Hehehe." He laughs. I don't find the situation very funny.

"Johnny dumped me."

His face falls. He's suddenly serious. "Bee, Bee I'm so sorry. I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to talk about it. I still don't." I snap.

"Okay."

"Okay."

There's tension between me and Al now, and I feel bad. He didn't know about the break-up, and I didn't tell him. It had been right after graduation. But I knew it was coming, Johnny and I had been fighting for months on end. I had been head over heels in love with him since freshman year; he was on the football team, tall, tan, blonde, beautiful. He finally asked me out at the beginning of junior year. We won prom King and Queen. We were the perfect couple. Until he dumped me. Again, things I don't want to think about. So I brush them aside. Al slumps onto the recliner chair. I kneel on the floor beside him. He looks at me with his big green eyes sad, hurt.

"Al, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a bitch to you."

"You're always a bitch to me." Ouch.

"I'm sorry, Al. I've had a lot on my mind. Thank you for not getting sick of me." I say the words and I mean them.

"Only because I love you." I smile.

"Let's get you to bed. You need to sleep this off." I help him into the King sized bed and tuck him into the sheets like he's five years old. I kiss him on the forehead and say goodnight.

"Aren't you gonna sleep in the bed?" He asks hopefully. I shake my head.

"No way. I'll take the chair." I go in the bathroom and change into a different pair of silk pajamas and fall asleep on the chair. I need to rest up if we're going to get back on the road tomorrow.

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**Tada! Feel free to review with questions/ concerns/ criticisms. Oh and I have a question for everyone! Who do you picture as Christian Grey? I always picture James Franco :) Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone! Thank you all so much for reading :) This chapter is somewhat short, but I'm already halfway done with the next one so it'll be up very soon! I tried writing in Christian's POV several times but I had to keep erasing and starting over; I really felt I couldn't capture his character, so I decided to go with Ana instead. I hope you all enjoy!**

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**Ana's POV…**

"You fucking lost them?" I hear Christian scream into his cell phone from across the house. I've taken refuge in my library that we had built for me when we moved here all those years ago. I've barely left this room since I found out Phoebe was gone. I haven't been able to eat, or sleep. Christian has spent the majority of the time in his office ordering security around and making desperate phone calls. The worst was when he fired Mason. I was so mad at him I had to leave his office before I threw something at him. Mason had been with us since Phoebe was a toddler, and I know she had grown to love him like a family member.

The night Phoebe and Christian had gotten into a fight, Christian had gone to check on her and apologize after he had cooled down. But instead, he found the note. I'll never forget the look on his face; a horrible mix of fear, sorrow, fiery anger, and betrayal. It took me an hour to cool him down before we could even sit and discuss everything that had happened. My reaction was split three ways; fear, of what would happen to her. Pride, in her ability and wits to sneak away without getting caught; believe me, I know what it's like to feel smothered by the security. And third, a feeling I feel somewhat guilty about and haven't discussed yet: anger at Christian for smothering her so much as to make her feel the need to run away. It had always been a subject of argument for me and Fifty; Phoebe's safety. Of course I want her safe, she's my one and only daughter. But I'm more than willing to give her space and independence. Christian, on the other hand, never wanted to let her do anything or go anywhere on her own.

The house is suddenly silent and I know Christian is done screaming at Taylor on the other line. It's awkward to hear, seeing as his children and wife live in their own suite in the house. Probably too far away from Christian's office to hear. A shiver runs through my body, despite the hot July night. Oh Phoebe, where are you? I just wish she would give us some sort of hint as to where she was or what she was doing, just so I could know she was safe. She's smart, and strong, which makes me feel better. But she's also naïve and inexperienced, which makes me worry and overanalyze and come up with horrible scenarios in my head. Another shiver makes me reach for my tea on the coffee table in front of me. Gail has made it weak, and black, just the way I like it. Suddenly I'm overwhelmed with the need to be held. I put the mug back down quietly on the table and shuffle down the hall to Christian's office.

I open the door slowly, and my heart nearly stops. Oh, my poor Fifty. He's seated at his desk, with his head in his hands, and I can tell by the way his shoulders are shaking that he's crying. In all our years of marriage, I've only seen this man cry a handful of times. It pulls on my heartstrings and makes me feel as though I've been punched in the gut. He hears me enter the room and looks up at me, and I've never seen him so upset. I walk over to him and wipe the tears from his handsome face, and his him gently on the top of the head. He leans back in his seat so I can curl up in his lap like I always do. He wraps his arms around me and I'm greeted with such a sense of comfort. All the emotions I've been holding in burst and I'm sobbing into his chest. Our baby, gone. This is a pain like nothing else. He kisses my hair and I nuzzle closer into him.

It seems like an eternity before Christian finally speaks.

"Taylor lost them."

"Where did he see them?"

"A hotel in Idaho. Well, he only saw Alejandro. I knew that kid was trouble." I hear the anger rising in his voice.

"This isn't Al's fault. He's a good kid and you know it, Christian. Just be thankful he's there. He'll keep a good eye on her."

"I don't like him." He sounds so stubborn, childish.

"That's because he's a teenage boy that's in love with your daughter."

Christian practically growls with anger.

"I just want her to come home. I'll do anything to get her back." I hear his voice crack. I hate seeing him like this, so broken and vulnerable.

"Me too." It's silent for a few minutes. "What's happening now?"

"Taylor's headed to New York. We don't know what way they're going since Alejandro ditched his car at the hotel." I look up at him, his eyebrows creased in agitation, his mouth set in a frown. "Phoebe left her phone in a trashcan in Portland to try and throw us off. We know they're headed in the general direction of Times Square. I have her face on every news station, and I've hired more people to look for her." His voice cracks again. I hold him tighter. We sit in silence for what seems like hours, and there's no call from Taylor or anyone else. Eventually we decide to go upstairs to bed, even though it's useless. Neither of us will sleep until our baby is back home.


	5. Chapter 5

**Phoebe's POV…**

We lay low in Idaho for a few days at the Talus, which I've absolutely fallen in love with. We spend a lot of time exploring the grounds, soaking in the sun, and hanging out in the room watching movies and being thankful for air conditioning. We stay for three more days and two more nights, and there's been no mention of Al's drunken words from a few nights previous. It's clear to me that he doesn't remember what he said and I'm sure as shit not going to bring that awkwardness up in conversation. Before I know it, Al and I have made it as far as North Dakota, and I have to say I'm very proud we've made it this far. I'm still shocked every time I look in the mirror and see blonde hair and blue eyes; it's just not what I'm used to. I look so different, I even have a tan; my skin has a nice golden hue from exploring around the Talus, which I'm very appreciative for.

We're driving down a deserted road in the Middle of Nowhere, North Dakota when it happens; the Jeep sputters to a stop, Al only seconds to pull over before it refuses to move anymore. At first I don't know what to think, because I'm pretty sure I go into shock. What the fuck are we supposed to do without a vehicle? We certainly can't afford to buy another one at this point. I look at Al, my own fear etched into his face. Shit. Does Al know anything about cars? Without either one of us saying anything, Al gets out of the car and lifts the front hood. I decide to stay in the car, because 1.) I know less than nothing about mechanics, and 2.) I don't want to get in Al's way. My thoughts wander to what we're going to do if we can't fix the problem; it's not like we can just call AAA. We can't casually walk all the way to New York City, and there hasn't been enough time for my dad to cool down for us to call him and ask him for help. Suddenly, an idea pops in my head. _Teddy!_ My big brother has always told me that I can call him if I need help, no matter what. He's currently at Northwestern University doing a summer program to complete some of his credits so he can graduate college early and start med school. I decide not to call him unless it's absolutely necessary, but decide that if we get the car working again I'd like to drop in in Chicago and see him.

Al returns a few minutes later. He slides into the drivers seat and takes a deep breath. Shit! He's going to say we're screwed and that we have to go home.

"Bee." He says calmly.

"Al."

"We're out of gas." He says it simply, but it confuses the shit out of me.

"How is that possible? The meter says we have half a tank." I say stubbornly. Surely he's wrong. There isn't a gas station within sight of this place. Actually, there's nothing here really but the road and an endless expanse of dirt and yellowing grass. Suddenly I realize how hot it is in the Jeep; it has to be at least ninety-five degrees in here.

"The meter must be broken." He says, and I can tell he's annoyed but trying not to show it.

"Didn't you realize the meter wasn't going down? We stopped for gas hours ago!" I snap at him, my quick temper getting the best of me. I really did take his comment "You're always a bitch to me" to heart, and I made a promise to myself that I need to make an effort not to flip out at him.

"You know what, Phoebe? I'm sorry. While you've been having the time of your life I've been chauffeuring you halfway across the country. I've got shitty sleep almost every night. Sorry if my sharpness isn't up to your impossible standards." He says, and my stomach drops. Al has never said anything like this to me before. There is truth to his words; he has been doing all the driving while I've been barking orders at him and making him do whatever I want. But right now I'm hurt and angry and stubbornly too proud to apologize just yet. He's made it seem like he hasn't had any fun at all.

I grab my tote bag and open the car door. I don't want to be near Al right now. I slam the passenger side door behind me and stomp of in the direction we were originally headed. I know there is a gas station in the direction we were coming from, but it was at least an hour drive from where we are now. So I head off the other way, in a huff. A wave of annoyance surges through my body when I hear Al's door close too.

"You know, it's really hard for anyone to take you seriously when you act like this. You're so desperate to prove that you're so mature, yet you stomp off and have a temper tantrum like a child the second you're told something you don't want to hear." He yells from the car, as I've already made it pretty far from him at my quick pace.

"Fuck off, Al." I yell without even looking back, refusing to cry. Al's verbal attack had seemed so sudden, like he had been thinking about it for a while and didn't say anything. Is that what he thinks of me? That I'm an immature, spoiled brat? Is that what everyone thinks? Is that who I really am? The thought makes me feel sick to my stomach. I was raised well, my parents always taught me to be grateful for everything I have. Maybe I don't always say thank you and maybe I don't always show Al that I appreciate him, but I really do. We've never really got into any sort of fight before this.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you!" I turn around now. He's standing next to the Jeep, his shoulder slumped and his hair messy in that adorable way. Even from the distance he can't hide the hurt on his face. He looks so sad, that I suddenly want to run over and hug him and tell him that I'm sorry and that I really do appreciate his friendship. But again, my stubborn pride kicks in; I don't want to be vulnerable.

"Bee, come on. Let's just stop this. We need to stick together." He says, his voice sounding reasonable and calm. The knot in my stomach loosens. I don't say anything as he walks towards me. He opens his arms inviting me in for a hug, and I know the argument is over. I walk over and let him embrace me, my head fitting perfectly at his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Al." He gives me a little squeeze.

"Me too, Bee."

"Don't be. I started this. You were right." I let him go and look up at him, my grey eyes meeting his green. There's something in his eye that I just can't place, but it makes me feel weird in my stomach. Not a bad weird, just something unfamiliar.

"Your hair smells like strawberries." He blurts out. I can't help but chuckle.

He's still looking at me in that way, and it's making me feel a bunch of things that I don't want to feel right now. I change the subject and we come up with a game plan. We need to keep going in the direction we were headed, but we're going to have to walk. Al suggested hitchhiking, but we haven't seen another car for miles. We take off on foot, hoping for the best and that there's a gas station somewhere up ahead. We only have four water bottles stashed in the Jeep, so I put them all in my bag along with a bag of trail mix and some dried fruit. We're not sure how long our walk is going to be, and there's no visible shade in sight.

We walk for what seems like forever, and I'm absolutely exhausted. My feet have blisters, my shoulders are sunburnt, and I'm so thirsty. Al and I have finished two bottles of the water and we're trying to save the other two, because we don't know how much longer it's going to take until we find somewhere. We decide to take a break under a huge willow tree that we find. Together we practically collapse on the ground, thankful for the shade. I hand Al one of the bottles of water and we take a few sips each and nibble on the trail mix. If I had to guess, I'd say we've walked at least eight miles.

"How are you doing?" I ask him, but it's clear we're both in rough shape. We've gotten too much sun and we're both dehydrated.

"Pretty good." He says, trying to smile. He looks awful, and I can tell there's something on his mind, other than the obvious poor physical condition we're in.

"What's wrong, Al?"

"I was just thinking about a lot of stuff when we were walking, that's all." He says, and he smiles at me again, but it doesn't reach his eyes.

"I can tell something is bothering you."

He shakes his head. "It's just, sometimes I wonder if I'm making the right decision."

"What do you mean?"

"With college and everything."

"Of course you're making the right decision!" I say. He's going to University of Portland in the fall to study nursing and psychology; all he really wants to do with his life is help people, which I know he'll be great at.

"But is it worth all the money? I feel like I should just focus on getting a job and helping out around the house." He says this with a pained expression. Al's dad, Jose, lost his job a few years back and things have been hard for his family financially ever since.

"Of course it's worth it. You'll be much better off with a college education, Al. Your parents want you to go. You'll make them proud." I say, weaving together my words with gentleness and sincerity.

"And I'll still be close to you." He says, and smiles again, but this time it reaches his eyes. I'm studying pre-law at University of Washington; it's three hours away but only an hour our so in my dad's helicopter. We'll be able to visit each other frequently. As our conversation ends, we decide to hit the road again and continue on our travels.

Twenty minutes later, we find ourselves faced with a huge hill. Exhausted and dehydrated, it takes all of our strength to make it up to the top. Then, in the distance I see it; towering over what looks like a fairground is a Ferris wheel, it's neon lights flashing as it spins slowly. My heart leaps and I feel the biggest wave of relief; civilization! It doesn't even matter that it isn't a gas station; certainly there needs to be one near this place.

"Al, look, look!" I exclaim, pointing towards the fairgrounds. I look over at him and his face is glowing like a little kid on Christmas morning. As we get closer, we're greeted by the smell of fried carnival food and candle apples and we see people pouring in the entrance to the North Dakota State Fair. Yes! We pay our admission and make our way through dozens of different craft booths; people selling jewelry and dream catchers and hand woven purses and everything else you could possibly imagine. Al and I look around the different shops, going off on our own but not too far away from each other. I'm in a Native American booth looking at dream catchers when something catches my eye; a green dream catcher with black and brown beads. It's beautifully crafted and hand made, but it's the color that really attracts me. It takes me a few minutes to realize that it's the same color as Al's eyes. I take it down from the rack and pay for it, then go off to find Al.

He comes strolling out of a jewelry booth and flashes me a smile; I haven't seen him look so happy in days. Being on the road must have really gotten to him and I was so wrapped up in my own Phoebe-centered world that I hadn't noticed. Somehow the little disagreement we had this afternoon has changed the atmosphere between us; we're both a lot happier and more optimistic despite the huge distance we traveled. Maybe our fight has brought us closer together, even thought a few hours ago I would have said that was probably impossible. I smile back at him and greet him with a kiss on the cheek. His ears turn the purple color again.

"What was that for?" he asks, surprised, but appreciative.

"For being awesome. I got you a present." I hand over the dream catcher and watch as he opens it. He seems to really like it a lot. He thanks me and then takes a jewelry box out from his jean pocket.

"I got you a present too." He says, shyly handing the box to me. I open it slowly and can't help but squeal when I open it. It's a gold ring with my name engraved in it, along with a carved swirly rose design. It's unique and pretty and fits on my ring finger perfectly. But what makes me excited the most is that it says Phoebe on it; it's nearly impossible to find any souvenirs pens or key chains or stuff like that with my name.

"I love it. This was really sweet, Al. Thank you." I give him a quick hug, and then to avoid him looking at me in that way again, I take off in the opposite direction towards the food, knowing that he'll follow. We re-hydrate by drinking giant cups of lemonade to wash down our corn dogs and fried dough. I feel guilty eating such unhealthy food, but this is my little vacation right? I'll get back on my usual eating and exercise schedule when I get back home.

"You ready to go?" Al asks me as he gathers our trash from dinner.

"Already?" I pout. I really wanted to go on some rides; at least one of them. Al's probably thinking that we need to get to a gas station so we can get back to the car and fill up the tank.

"I'm just worried because it's getting dark out." He says, and I look up at the sky. I can't believe I didn't notice it before; the most breathtaking sunset I've ever seen. Pinks and purples melt together with blues and oranges in the most beautiful arrangement possible.

"The sky looks incredible! Can we at least go on one ride?" I ask, switching my expression to the cutest puppy-dog face I can muster. I flutter my eyelashes over my now blue eyes dramatically for effect.

"You know I can't resist the puppy-dog face." He says, taking my hand and leading my over to the ticket booth. I lace my fingers through his and he returns the gesture with a gentle squeeze. We buy enough tickets for each of us to go on one ride; I let him pick whatever one he wants to go on; I figure I'm usually the one making the decisions, so this time it's his turn. He chooses the Ferris wheel and instantly I'm disappointed; I was hoping for something a little more thrill inducing. We get in line and he leads the way to our seat. Al puts his arm around me as we take off from the ground, and as we rise into the sky I take in the beautiful scene; the sunset and the twinkling lights of the carnival mixed with the presence of my best friend by my side. Somewhere in the distance I hear "Accidently in Love" by the Counting Crows playing, and the upbeat song mixed with it's lyrics make me feel like I'm staring in some sort of cliché romantic comedy; not that I'm complaining. I'm so happy at this moment that every stress and problem seems to melt away. I rest my head on Al's shoulder and the ride comes to a stop, leaving me and Al at it's highest point.

In that moment of pure happiness and beauty, my best friend leans in to kiss me.


	6. Chapter 6

The kiss catches me off guard, even though I knew it was going to happen. Al's lips are soft and I have to admit, I enjoy kissing him. It gives me feelings deep down in my stomach; feelings that I've never felt before. I don't know how to place it; a mix of excitement and fear and desire and confusion all wrapped into one. I never once felt this way when Johnny kissed me, ever. But Al is supposed to be my best friend and I've never thought of him in a romantic way before now. Something about this whole situation just feels too weird for me, and makes me feel almost guilty. I'm not sure how long our lips stay in contact, but I'm the one to pull away.

I look up, and there he is with his adorable messy hair and his forest green eyes and tan skin and perfect smile, looking at me, waiting for a reaction. He looks so hopeful and shy and innocent and I fight the urge to kiss him again. I don't know if it's the sunset or the Ferris wheel or the cliché music or the fact that we are over a thousand miles from home, but suddenly I'm overwhelmed with the intensity of everything. All the feelings I've been brushing aside for the past month surface; Johnny dumping me and shattering my heart into a thousand pieces, the constant fighting with my dad over my independence, fear of starting college, my confusion over Al, and suddenly I'm sobbing and I can't stop.

Al looks at me, horrified. I don't think I've ever cried in front of him, in all our years of friendship. That's one of my number one rules; don't cry in front of anyone, it makes you look weak. I hate to seem weak, which is according to my mother, something I've inherited from Mr. Overprotective himself. Shit, I really miss my mom.

"Bee? Bee, I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?" The look of horror still painted on his face. I wipe my tears away stubbornly, smearing make-up all over my eyes.

"Yes. No. I don't know Al." The words come out harsher than I mean them. He pulls away from me, obviously hurt.

"I didn't mean to upset you." He says, and he sounds so sad. I hate it. I want to make it better. Al spends so much time taking care of me, and I've never felt the need to reciprocate. But things are different now, I feel so different towards him.

"It's not your fault, Al. I'm just really confused."

"You know, in all of the times I imagined kissing you in my head, you never once started crying after." He says, trying to lighten the mood a bit. I giggle.

"Well, in your head, how do I react?" I ask playfully.

"You admit your undying love for me and we walk off into the sunset and get married and have four beautiful children." He sounds like he's joking, but part of me thinks there's a bit of truth to this statement. There's silence between us now, and the tension returns.

"So…what now?" He asks, quietly. There's the hope again. This is going to crush him.

"Al, you know I love you. But I think we're better of as friends. Our relationship is so great now. …Sex just complicates everything." I mutter, looking away from him.

"Who said anything about sex?" Al sounds angry, and I flinch, surprised and not used to seeing this side of him.

"Well, Al, most romantic relationships lead to some sort of physical contact. Mostly in the form of sex." I snap back, instinctively returning to my defensive state.

"You made it seem like that was going to be the only thing I was interested in. You don't understand, you're so much more than that to me, Bee. You don't know how angry it makes me to see other guys look at you like your some sort of object."

I can't help but roll my eyes. At this point the Ferris wheel has started moving again, and were making our descent back to the ground. We get out of the cozy seat and I'm thankful to be out of the confined space.

"I didn't realize you cared that much about me." I say, stupidly. I'm at a loss for words. This is just too much, and I'm so exhausted that I feel like I'm going to pass out.

I walk towards the exit, Al trailing behind me. I just want to get out of here and get some goddamn gas so we can get in the godamn car and get back on the goddamn road, damnit. He's silent for a minute and I know it's because he's planning out what he's going to say in his head.

"Bee." He says again, the sadness returning to his voice. I turn around and face him, and I've never seen him more upset. "I'm in love with you. Always have been, always will be. I do everything you want me to do, when you want me to do it. I'm always there for you when you need someone to talk to. You always count on me to pick you up if you need a ride and to help sneak you out if you need some adventure. I made you all those CD's, I spend hours on the phone with you. I left my family to travel across the goddamn country with you. How could you not know?"

"I just thought you were being a good friend. That's what friends do."

"Did you listen to the CD I made you for your birthday?" This quick change of the subject confuses me. My silence lets him know that I didn't. I had really wanted to, but I spent the entire week after my birthday locked in my room crying over Johnny. It seems so stupid now. Suddenly something clicks in my mind; Johnny never mattered. I never felt anything when I kissed him. I never wanted to do anything physical with him. It's not that he wasn't attractive, I guess I just wasn't attracted to him. I just loved the idea of him, and the idea of us, which is why it destroyed me when he ended it. And the reason why he ended it, of course; that hurts more than anything. I brush that aside, more things I don't want to think about. I'll deal with my Johnny emotions later, because Al is what matters right now. I make a mental note to listen to the CD later. But I'm done talking about this right now. I pull out my phone from my back jeans pocket.

"What are you doing?"

"Calling Teddy."

"What? Don't you think he'll be on your Dad's side?"

"No, he understands the overprotective thing. Why do you think he went to college across the country?" I'm trying hard to keep the subject on anything else but Al being in love with me. It's just too much right now.

"Hello?" just hearing my big brothers voice makes me so happy.

"Teddy!"

"Bee? Is that you?" He sounds so relieved.

"Yes, Teddy I need your help."

I explain to him where Al and I are, and he tells us there's a motel not far away at all, and that we should spend the night there. He's leaving Chicago in twenty minutes and he'll be here by morning. He assures me that Dad doesn't have any security waiting for me at his place, figuring I'd be too smart to stop there and be so obvious. This whole reverse-psychology thing has really been working to my advantage.

An hour later, Al and I are settled into a motel about a mile away from the carnival. We have no clothes to change into, since we left them with the jeep in the middle of fucking nowhere. Teddy will give us a ride back to it in the morning to grab our things, and then we're all off to Chicago. The thought of being so close to New York makes me so excited. But now Al is sullen and moody and obviously hurt by all the rejection, and I feel so guilty. Yes, I enjoyed kissing him. Yes, I'm attracted to him. But I'm just not ready for another relationship and I would hope he would understand that, even though I haven't expressed it in those words. Al gets into one of the beds and doesn't say a word to me. He's never been mad at me before, and I really don't know how to handle it. I want to curl up in his bed next to him and kiss him and tell him that I'm sorry, that he deserves better than me, that he should love someone who will love him back unconditionally. But I can't and I don't.

I wait until I hear his snoring before I start rummaging through my bag, because I know I have the CD he made me in there somewhere. I feel a pain in my chest when I realize he even designed me an album cover, a pink background with a cartoon black and yellow bee perched on a purple rose takes up most of the front, with "Bee's Birthday Mix" written in loopy white font. He obviously put a lot of thought and hard work into it, and I hadn't even bothered to listen to it let alone appreciate the album artwork. On the inside cover is a note- _"Dear Bee, I hope you come to love these songs as much as I do. They have a lot of meaning for me. Cheers to adulthood and starting new chapters in our lives and relationships. Love, Alejandro." _I can't help but tear up. Why have I never realized how sweet and thoughtful Al is?

I flip over to the back of the CD and read the titles; I only recognize a few of them, but they're very old, from a few years before we were even born.

_A Drop In the Ocean _by Ron Pope

_Crazy For This Girl _by Evan and Jason

_Hero_ by Enrique Iglesias

_Hey Soul Sister_ by Train

_Home_ by Phillip Phillips

_I Won't Give Up_ by Jason Mraz

_Wonderwall_ by Oasis

_Yellow_ by Coldplay

_Your Guardian Angel_ by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

I read the song titles and the tears fall freely. Because without even listening to the songs I can tell by the titles the things that he was trying to tell me; he's loved me all along. And I curl into a ball on my bed and continue to cry, because in that moment I realize all the times I've taken him for granted and pushed him around. I feel awful and guilty and disgusted with myself. The crying continues throughout the night, until I've literally run out of tears. And in this crappy motel in the middle of North Dakota, I realize that I'm terrified because I think I love him too. _  
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**Sorry this was so short! Lots of interesting things will be happening in the next chapter when they get to Chicago! Thanks to everyone reading this story for being my motivation :)**


	7. Chapter 7

It seems like an eternity before I can find a comfortable position. I take the fake contacts out and throw them in the trash bin, irritated with the fact that I have to wear them. There's a green pair and a purple pair left in the car, but for now I'm back to my same old grey eyes. I feel my body getting heavier as slumber takes over, and suddenly I'm falling into a deep sleep.

_I'm in Johnny's room; it's the night after graduation. He has his own suite in the basement; a bathroom, a bedroom, a living area, and a mini-fridge. His parents threw us a huge party to celebrate immediately following our graduation ceremony. All of the kids in our social group and their parents had been invited; only the people who had" social status" that was acceptable by Johnny's socialite family, the impossibly rich Beaumont's. I spent the night on Johnny's arm, admiring him as he spoke with his parent's peers as well as had a great time with his friends. As the party was dying down, Johnny whispered in my ear that we should sneak away to his room. I find my parents in the crowd and let them know I'll be home later. I see my father tense, then visibly relax as Johnny turns on his charm and assures my Dad he'll have me home at a reasonable time. My Johnny can be so manipulative. My tummy fills will a mix of emotions; fear, excitement, nerves, curiosity. Because I know what Johnny is trying to do, and I know what his intentions are; they've been the same for the past year and a half. The first sixth months of our relationship, Johnny had been happy with us not doing anything physical, since our relationship had been so new. He once told me he mostly spent his time during those first few months basking in the glory of having won me over; apparently he "liked the way guys looked so jealous when they saw me with him". Whatever that means. _

_The second we're in his room, he takes no time in pushing me down on the bed. I mumble something in protest but I know it's no use; he doesn't exactly listen to me when I say no. He's on top of me, kissing me hungrily, running his hands all over my body and hiking up my white chiffon graduation dress. I try to wiggle away but he holds me down; I'm trapped, helpless. I'm pretty strong, but he's way stronger; toned from lacrosse and football. _

"_Johnny, stop it!"_

"_I want you so bad, Phoebe."_

"_You know I'm not ready."_

"_Are you fucking serious?" He snarls and rolls off of me, and the anger in his voice is penetrating. I'm silent. He stands up from his bed and paces back and forth. Relieved to have him off of me, I sit up. This cycle has been going on for months; he tries to do something, I say I'm not ready, he gets mad. But then he gets over it and we're back to being the "it" couple. I don't tell anyone about this because they wouldn't understand; I know he would never actually harm me. He loves me. _

"_You know what? I don't need you, you fucking tease. You pull this "I'm not ready" shit every single time. Why the fuck aren't you ready? It's just sex, I'm not asking you to fucking marry me. All the guys always brag about scoring with this girl, or scoring with that girl and you know what I say when it's my turn? Nothing. They all say you're a prude. It's embarrassing.". _

_What he says really hurts me, and I burst into tears. Here I am at my most vulnerable, feeling inadequate and not good enough for the boy I love, hoping he understands. _

"_Johnny, I'm sorry."_

"_Whatever. Get out. We're through."_

"_You aren't serious." I sob, horrified. This can't be happening. _

"_I am. This was your last chance. Goodbye, Phoebe." He turns and walks up the stairs, leaving me alone in his room. I burrow my face into one of his navy-blue silk pillows to stifle a scream as I deal with the pain of a knife ripping through my heart._

I wake up in the motel room, kicking and screaming and crying. I'm momentarily discombobulated and thrown off by how vivid my nightmare had been; it was the last time I saw Johnny, other than when I stopped by his house to drop off his stuff. We had kept the break up on the down low, so nobody really knows except for our parents. I haven't told anyone because I'm embarrassed, he hasn't told anyone because dating me heightened his social status. I didn't know that from the beginning; I figured it out afterwards. Looking back, I was pretty damn stupid to believe that he actually loved me and to let him treat me that way. I guess after two years I just got used to it; but now I know to never let anyone treat me like that ever again.

Checking the clock, I see that it's ten in the morning, Al is still sleeping like a baby in the other bed, snoring. I'm not surprised that my screaming didn't wake him up; I've learned very recently that he's a very heavy sleeper. I try to stretch and feel new stiffness in my body, due to my lack of normal exercise. Quickly I weigh my options; I can stay here and watch tv like a lump until Teddy gets here, or I can go for a run. I really wish I had different clothes to change into, but my jean shorts and tank top will have to do, seeing as everything is still in the Jeep god knows how far away. I slip the phone Al bought at the convenience store in my back pocket and head out, careful not to slam the door. I take a side road that's surrounded by woods and run for a while, taking in the sounds around me. Birds are chirping and I hear rushing water somewhere to my left. There's not another person or car in sight. It' incredibly peaceful and gives me some much-needed alone time so I can clear my head.

With all my years of running, it takes a while before I even start to break a sweat. I keep taking right turns, getting deeper and deeper into the woods and hoping that it'll loop me back around the to motel. Suddenly, the hair stands up on the back of my neck and I feel the weird sensation of being watched. I slow down a bit but don't stop completely, and I focus on what's around me: in the distance I hear it, about a half a mile down the road; a car engine. Normally it wouldn't bother me to see a car, but my gut is telling me that I'm being followed. The engine gets louder and I hear the car pick up speed. Out of the corner of my eye, I see it coming toward me: sleek and black with tinted windows. Is it one of my dad's men? I certainly don't think they would make me feel this freaked out.

It takes me a minute to realize that the car is now speeding towards me; whoever is behind the wheel is trying to run me over! Without a second thought I swerve off the road and dash into the woods, booking it in what is hopefully the direction back to the motel. Why is some maniac from North Dakota trying to run me over? I try not to think about it and continue at a fast pace, and the minutes seem like hours before I'm back in the motel parking lot. I look around, absolutely terrified to make sure the car hasn't followed me back here. How bizarre was that? My blood is pumping and my heart is pounding as sweat pours down my face. I dash back into the motel room and lock the door, careful to pull down all the shades.

Al is still asleep in his bed, snoring as loud as a freaking train. I make the decision right then and there that I'm not going to tell him what happened; I don't need him to lecture me on how dangerous it was for me to go out for a run on my own anyways. I never would have thought in a million years that someone would try to turn me into road kill. My thought continues to wander; was it random, or was it someone who has something against me? No enemies come to mind; I was well liked in high school, except for people that assumed I was a bitch because I was dating Johnny and had billionaire parents. But how could they find me here, in the middle of nowhere? It makes no sense. I try to talk myself into calming down; maybe I'm overreacting. Maybe it was just a drunk or overly aggressive driver.

I decide to shower before Al wakes up, using the cheap shampoo and soap provided by the motel, and re-dress in my same clothes that I had been wearing on my run. I honestly can't wait to get back to the Jeep to get the rest of my stuff; my silk pajamas and my good hair products and deodorant. I throw my hair up in a messy bun, and it still shocks me every time I see myself in the mirror that I'm no longer a brunette. I fish around in my bag for another pair of colored-contacts and decide on the green ones; it still amazes me how different hair and eyes can make me look so unlike myself.

I spend some time watching television and listening to Al snore. When he finally wakes up he's grumpy and not talkative; still sour from my rejection. He just doesn't understand that our relationship would be so different if we were together. I've come to terms with the fact that I am in love with him, but I'm scared that if we're together I'll end up losing him. It's complicated and terrifying, and I can't think of it as well as process the fact that I was almost killed this morning. For a minute I thought Al was going to ask me what's wrong, but then he resumed his grumpy brooding. He showers while I continue to watch TV. A couple hours pass with us in silence, and obvious tension between us. Al is acting like a child that has been told "no" to a piece of candy and I'm fed up with the way he's acting. I have no desire to try and reconcile with him when he's acting like this.

When I hear a car pull up next to our room I immediately stiffen, scared that it was my mystery car from earlier. Had they followed me back here without me knowing? Suddenly the cheap pre-paid phone in my pocket starts buzzing and I see Teddy's number flashing across the screen. I smile for the first time in hours as I answer.

"Are you here?" I squeal. I sound like a little kid on Christmas morning. I haven't seen my big brother since last winter and I can't wait to see him.

"Miss Grey, your chariot awaits." Teddy replies, mocking Mason's British accent. For a second I feel like I'm going to cry; Teddy obviously doesn't know that dad fired Mason.

"Al, Teddy's here. And I'd appreciate it if you could stop moping." I snap at him and exit the room without saying another word. Teddy's midnight blue Lamborghini is parked a few feet away, and I watch as he steps out of the driver's side and goes around to open the passenger side door. My excitement doubles, he brought Courtney with him!

Courtney and Teddy have been together for two years; they met in college and they're both studying to be doctors, and she is the biggest sweetheart on the planet. They are so in love it's sometimes hard to be around them because you feel like you're intruding on their perfect love story. They even _look_ good together; he's all tall, muscular, copper hair, light blue eyes which correlates perfectly with her petite frame, long gold waves and eyes the color of his car. For some reason I'm guessing that's not a coincidence.

I run over to them and huge Teddy first, practically jumping into his arms. He laughs and puts me down so I can hug Courtney, who envelops me in a cloud of fruity perfume.

"Look at your hair!" She says, poking the top of my messy bun. She's from Boston, and I love her accent. It's so different from what I'm used to.

"Oh, I know. It still freaks me out when I look in the mirror." We both laugh.

"And since when do you have green eyes?" Teddy chimes in.

"It was Al's idea. It was our way of flying under the radar. My face is all over the news." I roll my eyes, annoyed and Teddy nods, all too understanding of our fathers overprotective ways.

"It's great to see you, Pheeb. I was so worried…dad calls me every day to see if I've heard anything from you."

"I'm surprised he hasn't sent the police after me."

"He said he considered it, but they told him since you're eighteen you can consent to leave. So legally you didn't run away, you chose to leave."

I pause and process this information; I never thought of it that way. I really hope I'm still welcome at home…my mom will forgive me, but it's my fathers wrath that I'll have to deal with.

"By the way, Ava is pissed you pulled this without her." I roll my eyes again, leave it to my drama-queen cousin/ best friend to be jealous of MY trip while she's off vacationing in Europe with Aunt Kate and Uncle Smelliott.

"You talked to her?" This shocked me; she and Teddy don't exactly see eye to eye. He's more down-to-earth, humble, and responsible, while she's uppity, dramatic, self-centered and over-emotional. I know how to deal with her but Teddy avoids her at all costs.

"Uncle Smell called to see if I heard anything from you. They were worried sick. They're in Paris now."

I feel bad, I didn't mean to put a damper on their vacation.

"Now I feel like an ass."

Before Teddy has time to respond, I hear a door close behind me as Al exits the hotel room and walks over toward us. Both him and Teddy look exhausted; Teddy must have driven all night to get here so soon. Teddy greets Al with a handshake, and introduces him to Courtney. It seems like Al is back to his normal, happy, friendly self. Teddy and Al come up with a plan to get back to the Jeep, and then all will drive the Jeep behind Teddy back to Chicago.

But while Al and I are in the backseat, he refuses to even look at let alone talk to me. Annoyed, I cross my arms and stare out my window for the entire thirty minute drive. It's crazy how much longer it had seemed when we had been walking. After we've stopped to buy gas, we park by where we had broken down. Al get's out to go over to the Jeep, and looks at me expectantly.

I look at him coldly. "I think I'll stay with Teddy and Courtney. I've missed them." He can tell by the way I'm looking at him that I'm mad at him too. He looks hurt but goes over to the Jeep and gets into the drivers seat after thanking Teddy for saving the day.

We get back on the highway and drive for a couple hours. We talk and catch up and laugh but then I see Teddy looking into the rearview mirror nervously. He looks at me, catching me noticing his worry. I don't even have to ask what's wrong because he offers up the information willingly.

"We're being followed."

"What?" I whip my head around to see what's going on. Al is a few cars behind us, and weaving between other cars on the highway is the black car. The one from this morning that tried to run me over. I feel my face go pale and I feel like I'm going to vomit. Should I risk telling Teddy? I choose not to, sinking down in the seat and curling my knees up to my chest. Who is this maniac?

Teddy speeds up, going at least 100 mph. I can't see the speedometer because of my position I'm sitting in, but I feel the cars engine revving as we pick up speed. Teddy keeps looking back nervously to see if the car is following us. I sit up, and I see how worried Courtney looks; I can tell she's trying to keep calm, but this is a scary situation.

"Shit, I lost Alejandro." He says, visibly pissed. Teddy usually never gets mad.

"What? We have to go back and find him!" I say, knowing how foolish I sound. It's not like we can just back up on the highway, but I don't even know if Al has his pre-paid phone on him. I feel my eyes fill up with tears, how will we find him?

"Pheeb, don't be ridiculous. Our main concern is getting away from this asshole."

"It's a guy?"

"I can't tell, the windows are blacked out." He's frustrated, and he steps on the gas even more intensely, weaving between cars and taking some random exit. We pull into the first side road we can find and hide in a giant parking lot behind a Super Walmart. My heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest, and adrenaline pumps through my veins. We're safe. But what about Al? Is Al safe? Did the person in the black car even know about Al? What if they get him?

"Teddy, we have to go back for Al."

"Phoebe, we can't" I know he's right but it's not what I want to hear. I consider just getting out of the car and walking back to the highway, but that would be beyond foolish, so I let the silent tears fall. I pull the phone out of my back pocket and dial Al's number. It rings and rings but there's no answer. I call again. And again. I call him twenty times, but there's no answer. I have no idea where I am and my best friend is nowhere to be found. I curl back up into my ball and wait for a call that I'm not sure will ever come.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! I just wanted to say thank you so much for reading and reviewing this story, it means a lot to me. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :)**

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**Al's POV…**

_She doesn't love you back man. You need to accept it; she just doesn't feel the same._ These are the same words I've been saying in my head over and over again for the past twelve hours. The logical side of my psyche is telling me to get over her; if she doesn't feel the same, it's okay. _She still wants to be your best friend. She still wants you in her life. _ I feel bad for the way I've acted; I know it's not right for me to mope around just because Bee doesn't like me back. But rejection hurts, regardless. Especially from someone that means so much to me. And just when I think I've talked myself into getting over it, there's that flicker of hope that wakes up and tries to fight my logical thinking: _ She kissed you back. She must at least be somewhat into you._ The internal struggle is extremely frustrating.

I've been driving for about two hours now, following Ted's fancy car at a distance, and my mind has been wandering back and forth through random memories of Bee. The most vivid one is a day back when I was seven, and I'll never forget that day for as long as I'll live. My parents and I were at the Grey's house, celebrating Christian's birthday. It was summertime and Bee looked so pretty in her pink dress with her hair done all nice and curly. She came over to give me a hug and say hi, and she smelled like vanilla cupcakes. We spent most of the night running around in their huge meadow until the sun set and we caught fireflies and then laid in the grass just looking at the stars and listening to crickets. I told her she smelled like cupcakes. She giggled and then told me it was her lip-gloss that she was wearing. She sat up and asked me if I'd like to try it. Excited, I sat up too and told her I'd love to, hoping she would kiss me. How else would I be able to try the lip-gloss she was wearing? She told me to close my eyes and pucker up. At that moment I thought I was the luckiest man in the world…until she whipped out her lip-gloss and wiped a gob across my lips. She laughed so hard tears were coming out of her eyes, and that was the first time I realized what a cool color they were. That was the night I fell in love with Phoebe Alexandra Grey, and I've never stopped since.

From that night on I swore I would spend every moment of my life trying to make her happy, because the sound of her laughing made me feel warm inside. We were inseparable all through elementary school. Then middle school came and Bee started spending more time with Ava, her cousin. Ava showed Phoebe how to put on make up and how to flirt with boys. Middle school was when boys really started showing interest in Phoebe, due to their newly raging hormones. But to my satisfaction, Bee never really seemed interested in them back. Then high school came and Ava started going to parties with senior boys and she would make Bee tag along against her will. But after the parties Bee would always call me and we'd sneak out and go for a walk or watch the stars and just talk about life. We'd even hold hand sometimes, which I guess I misinterpreted. Anyway sophomore year is when she started dating that douchebag, Johnny. I hated him from the beginning, and at first I didn't have a reason other than he was taking my Bee away. But then when he started messing around with Bee's feelings, ignoring her and making her sad, I was torn. I was weirdly thankful for him in a way, because she always called me to pick her up and take her mind off of things when he mad her upset. It made me feel special I guess; better than Johnny. Even though I know she would have chosen him over me in a second. It's really complicated I guess, but I liked knowing I was the first person she wanted to talk to when she had a problem. And I liked always knowing what to do or say to make her feel better. But on the other hand I wanted to kill that rat for making her upset, because if I was lucky enough to have her I would make it my goal in life to make sure she was always happy.

I'm so lost in my thoughts that I have to swerve to avoid a sleek black car that quickly cut in front of me. Coming back to reality, I see that Ted's car is way up ahead, and the asshole in the black car is weaving though cars…is he following Ted? It takes me a minute to realize that my theory is correct. I pick up speed, trying to follow the black car and to keep tabs on Ted's car at the same time, but it's useless. In a matter of minutes Ted's car and the black car are gone, which means they must have gotten off at an exit. But I'm not sure which one, and it's getting harder for me to think straight as panic rises in my stomach; _Whoever it is could be after Bee. _ My heart starts pounding and my palms start sweating as my mind switches into alpha super-protective mode. Nobody will hurt my Bee, ever. I throw my directional on and get off at the next exit.

It takes me a minute to calm down and collect my thoughts. Bee is safe because she's with Ted. Ted won't let anything happen to her. Suddenly I remember the phone that I decided to buy one of the first nights on our trip; I knew Bee thought it was a stupid idea, but it's definitely going to come in handy now. I fish it out of my back pocket and see that Bee's called me at least ten times. My stomach drops. Quickly I dial her number and count the seconds until she answers. She picks up on the third ring.

"Al!" She sounds relieved.

"Bee, are you okay? Please tell me your okay."

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Are you?" It sounds like she's crying. This really confuses me. Bee hates crying in front of people, even me.

"I'm fine. What the hell happened?" I ask as I pull the Jeep over.

"Someone was following us. We don't know who, the windows were blacked out."

"Someone working your Dad's security detail?"

"That's what Teddy thinks…but I have a bad feeling." Her voice sounds weird, like she's hiding something from me. I consider asking but decide against it because I just want us to all be together again. She puts Ted on the phone and together we get our bearings; according to Ted's GPS we've made it over the state line into Minnesota. I tell him I can see a truck stop up ahead with a McDonald's, and we decide to meet there. It takes them about twenty minutes to find me, and when they do I can't help but feel a huge wave of relief wash over me. When they pull up Bee jumps out of the car before the wheels stop completely rolling, runs over to me, jumps into my arms, and right in front of Teddy and Courtney, kisses me right on the lips. I feel the warm sensation deep in my stomach and my knees feel so wobbly that I think I'm going to lose my balance. She catches me off guard, so it takes me a minute to return the kiss, but when I do I kiss her back gently, resting my hands on her hips and enjoying her familiar scent of vanilla mixed with lavender shampoo.

"I was so scared we weren't going to be able to find you." She says after she pulls away. I'm completely confused and speechless. One minute she's telling me she just wants to be friends, and the next she's kissing me in front of her big brother. Ted and Courtney have gotten and out the car and are standing awkwardly, not really sure how to react.

"I thought you guys weren't together?" Courtney says, trying to break the tension. I'm afraid to make eye contact with Ted… Ted knows I'm a good guy, but Phoebe is still his baby sister.

"We aren't." Bee says simply, with no further explanation. "I'm hungry." She says, immediately changing the subject and walking over in the direction of the McDonalds. Courtney follows, leaving Ted and I standing in awkward silence.

"I don't know what that was about." I say, looking up at Ted for the first time. He's leaning against his fancy car coolly, with an amused expression on his face. It's really odd how him and Bee inherited different features from their parents. He has his fathers height and build, and his fathers hair, but his blue eyes are much more kind and understanding than Christians; Ana's eyes.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me Alejandro. If you and Pheeb get together, you have my blessing." He says, and I feel a real great sense of appreciation for him. To be honest I always thought he was really cool when we were growing up; he was older and all the girls at school thought he was so awesome and good-looking. But he is an all around good guy, and having his blessing makes me feel good about myself.

Twenty minutes later Ted, Courtney, Phoebe and I are sitting in a booth in the McDonalds. Phoebe is whining about the quality of her salad and moving the shriveled pieces of lettuce around the shiny plastic container it came in. Courtney got a salad too, and she hasn't eaten much of it, but she doesn't seem like the type of person to complain. She's actually really quiet, and I can tell by the way Ted looks at her that he's crazy about her. That's the difference between a guy that loves a girl and a guy that just wants to get in a girl's pants; if he loves her, you can see it in his eyes. I'm willing to bet money on it.

Ted and I got burgers and fries, washed down with thick chocolate milkshakes. I offer Phoebe half of my burger and at first she wrinkles her nose in disgust. I roll my eyes and she caves, taking half of it and thanking me. I'm grateful that Ted decides the meal is on him; I haven't mentioned it to Bee, but I'm running really low on cash. I've got about one hundred dollars to my name. Which normally would be a lot, but not on a trip like this.

We get back in the cars, this time with Bee in the Jeep with me. I don't bring up the kiss because I'm grateful that the tension is gone between us. She fills me in more about the car that followed them, and I follow Ted through main and side roads until we pull up to an extravagant hotel, called the Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center. The place looks immaculate; definitely something out of my price range, though. We park and gather all of our belongings and meet Ted and Courtney in the Lobby, where Ted books and pays for the "Executive Family Room", whatever that means. I really can't thank this guy enough for all the money he's spending.

The room is incredible; two huge beds, a couch, a kitchenette, and a big bathroom. Courtney and Ted put their stuff down on one of the beds. Momentarily I consider putting my stuff on the other bed next to where Bee is setting down her things, but decide to play it safe and plop down on the couch.

"I'm exhausted." Courtney says with a yawn. She lays down on her side of the first big bed and Ted crawls in next to her.

"I'm not." Bee says, sounding disappointed. "Are you guys seriously going to bed? It's only like ten." She says in her somewhat whiny give-me-what-I-want tone.

Ted looks over at me expectantly. Confused, I stare blankly back at him. He rolls his eyes and gives me a look that says "_Entertain her, you idiot". _

"Bee, why don't we go check out the pool?" I suggest, and behind her back Ted gives me a thumbs up and a wink. Does he want me to try and make a move on his little sister?

"That's a great idea, Al!" She says excitedly, grabbing her bathing suit and practically skipping into the bathroom to change. I grab my trunks and go change in the kitchenette while Ted and Courtney flip through the channels on the huge flat screen television.

We leave the hotel room and chat like normal on our way down to the poolroom, which, to our luck, is completely empty. Bee is silent as we climb into the hot tub together, and I can tell that she's deep in thought.

"Bee, what is it?" I ask, looking into her beautiful grey eyes. Her dyed-blonde hair is long enough so that the ends are in the hot tub water fanning out around her frame. She's gorgeous just the same, but I really miss her dark hair. We sit down on the tan marble seats in the hot tub and my muscles are grateful for the massaging sensation the jets are providing for my lower back.

"I have a surprise for you." She says giggling. "Close your eyes."

"Bee, you know I hate surprises." I say in a jokingly grumpy tone.

"I think you'll like this one."

"Can I open my eyes yet?"

"Not yet." I hear the water splash as she moves. What the heck is she doing.

"Okay. Open your eyes."

I do as I'm told like a good little boy, and open my eyes, and I'm absolutely dumbfounded. Bee is sitting there in the hot tub across from me, completely topless, and smirking at me devilishly.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys, sorry this is so short, I just didn't want to leave you guys hanging any longer! School has gotten really crazy but I have a really good idea of where I want to go with this story, so I promise you guys won't be disappointed. Longer chapters are coming! Thanks for sticking with this story, you're the best. xoxo**

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I look up in shock. This can't be happening. I shake my head and pinch myself but this is not a dream; Bee is right in front of me, topless. Her long hair covers her body so I can't really see anything, but still. Didn't she say she wanted to be just friends? Every part of my logical being wants me to tell her to put her top back on and stop messing with my feelings, but I guess my teenage boy instincts have taken over. She's just staring at me with that mischievous grin and I want to grab her and kiss her and make her feel beautiful.

"I don't understand." I say, unable to articulate anything more complex.

"I just want to have some fun. We're supposed to be having the time of our lives and the past few days have been a drag. Haven't you ever gone skinny dipping?" Bee replies, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Never." I reply, shifting uncomfortably in my seat on the hot tub.

"Well there's a first time for everything. Come on Al, shorts off." She commands, and as much as I want to obey her, I restrain myself.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because people that are "just friends" don't casually strip in front of each other, Phoebe."

Her face falls slightly, and her forehead wrinkles as she processes the information.

"Oh come on, Al. Don't be such a baby. Pleaaaase?" She pouts at me. I roll my eyes and shift again, uncomfortably.

"Fine." I mumble, and I awkwardly remove my shorts while still sitting down in the hot tub. I cross my legs in an attempt to cover up because I feel extremely exposed, with good reason. This whole thing just feels bizarre to me. One minute she doesn't want anything to do with me, and the next she's begging me to take my clothes off.

Slowly she shifts towards me in the water, and my heart starts pounding as she steps slowly towards me. My breath becomes shallow as she gets closer, hovering over me. And when I think she's going to lean down and kiss me, she leans over me and grabs my balled up swim trunks that I had placed on the tile floor next to me. Letting out a loud giggle, she takes my trunks and dashes out of the hot tub, and jumping in the next door pool. She swims out to the middle and holds my trunks high over her head, waving them as a flag in victory.

"Come and get them!" She teases me, simply loving every moment of making me uncomfortable. I climb out of the hot tub and roll my eyes simultaneously. I run over to the pool and jump in, swimming over to her quickly. She splashes me and swims away and I swim after her, both of us now erupting in laughter. I chase her around for a while and we splash each other, having a great time. Finally I corner her and pin her against the pool wall so I'm able to grab my shorts, and somehow we both get caught up in the moment and our eyes lock and it's like an electric current shoots through my body. Then we're kissing and my hands are on her hips and she's running her fingers through my hair, and I feel the happiest I have ever felt in my entire life.

"I can't be just friends with you, Al." She says when we pull apart.

"Well then, let's be more."

The conversation gets cut off there, because we hear footsteps and start scrambling for our clothes. A voice yells from somewhere down the hall, and a man in a security uniform comes into view as we sneak out of the pool room from the other door. We laugh at our narrow escape, joking about how potentially awkward it would have been for us to be caught like that by security. Apparently the pool had been closed for an hour and we weren't supposed to be in there after eleven. We sneak back into the room, careful not to wake Teddy and Courtney. Bee and I change into our pajamas and she slips into the second big bed. I'm about to lay down on the couch when she calls me over, inviting me into the bed.

"Are you sure?" I whisper, shocked.

"Yes." She whispers back, patting the part of the bed next to her. I slip in beside her and she rolls over, and snuggles up to me so that we're spooning. I wrap my arm around her and fall asleep with my chin resting on the top of her head.


End file.
